"BAPTISM OF FIRE" 1943 U.S. ARMY TRAINING & INDOCTRINATION FILM "FIGHTING MAN" SERIES XD72375z
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This notable film "Baptism of Fire" was produced by the US Army Pictorial Services in WWII. It was created as part of the "Fighting Man" series of films, to prepare U.S. Army recruits for the grim business of combat against Axis troops. The film has impressive production values and a highly realistic (for the time) battle sequence. After it was released in 1943, the film was nominated for Best Documentary at the Academy Awards (it was also nominated for an Oscar in 1944). The film's plot surrounds the narrative of a G.I. named Bill; who is played by Elisha Cook Jr. Bill is a green recruit who is new to the front and preparing for his first taste of battle. The film was intended to teach fighting men that by acquiring knowledge, such as how to identify the enemy and learning the basics of how to fight hand to hand, they might reduce their anxiety, and achieve more personal security leading to a higher chance that they will be effective and both survive combat and succeed in the mission.
The film opens as the Radio Telephone Operator or RTO spots enemy planes flying in formation (:23). He calls the sighting in and the men are called to action (:43). Whistles blow, soldiers dive into dug outs and ready their weapons for firing (:55). The sergeant receives a call the planes have moved to a different direction (1:12). The young soldier Bill appears (2:02) as he is called for detail. An Army ambulance sits spinning stuck in the mud (2:29). As the men work to free the entrenched vehicle, Jim is recognized by a wounded soldier within the ambulance (3:33). Some of the soldiers drift to sleep against their machine guns en route (5:07) to relieve a squadron. Soldiers discuss the moment with which the battle becomes real and is no longer practice maneuvers (5:42). The group jumps from their transport vehicle to rest (6:48). Jim is instructed not to allow worry of the worst to consume him but to learn as much about the enemy and the situation as he can (7:19). Jim reminisces about home (8:24). He says goodbye to his girl Jane (9:17) at the gate. Men are called back to the vehicle (10:58). Foot soldiers move alongside tanks (12:55) cutting tracks into the dirt. The squadron leader reminds men of the mission noting the enemy position (14:24). Soldiers express anxiety over the quiet; the waiting period prior to the start of a mission (14:50). A whirring sings through the air and a bomb hits the ground throwing dirt as Bill and a comrade duck for cover (15:22). The sound of explosions increase and draw nearer (15:59). The signal is called and the men spring from dug out positions (16:27) into action. Long range guns rip holes in the earth (17:02). A sentry gun blows back (17:12). Fighter planes zoom in (17:30). One after another, German Stuka planes break from formation to dive bomb and strafe, (18:03) as Jim watches from below. Soldiers drop to the ground (18:24). Jim begins to feel more confident in his movements (19:30). A burning man escapes from his tank (20:10). Bill finds Pete as he begins to freeze in his position (20:35). The character Pete; played by Peter Whitney, (20:51) drops his rifle in a panic and runs into Jim and Bill. Jim readies his rifle (22:09) noticing the Nazi soldiers making an error and ‘bunching up’. A fellow combat soldier is hit in the throat (22:48). Jim hesitates to fire at an enemy soldier as a friendly soldier swoops in with a bayonet (23:38) saving the green soldier. Jim recognizes his rifle is smashed (24:20) lying next to a dead man. He snags the dead soldiers rifle and canteen (25:07). He recalls being warned of momentary paralysis during training (25:33). Bill is found wounded (26:12), hit by a sniper. Pete and Jim set the wound (26:57). Jim shoots his first Nazi soldier (27:31) and discovers more confidence. As the fighting lines mingle, men begin to fight hand to hand (29:06). Jim successfully bayonets an attacking Nazi soldier (30:02). Pete and Jim fight side by side (30:32). Combat subsides as the wounded are lifted on litters from the battle field (31:21). An RTO calls in the information that the objective had been reached (31:34) as his own wounds are dressed. The wounded and more seasoned soldiers return to the convoy (32:37). The trio mull over the recent battle and what went wrong and right as others celebrate their win in a tavern (33:12).
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com
Remember that these films were made to help real people face awful situations. They did they best they could.
And in the most part DID way than better doing the BEST !!!
This was extremely well done. Especially for the time. Remember, these kids were plucked or volunteered from farms or small towns from all across the United States. Most had never been out of their tiny town they grew up in. To go from that to the mental overload of a highly mechanized war of death had to be very traumatic in a number of different ways.
My father served on a fast attack troop ship. The Charles Carroll APA 28.He was in some of the most traumatizing battles of the war. Normandy and Okinawa are but two of
them. He watched as his ship loaded up kids his own age and their equipment. Knowing that a large portion of them would never come back. Or, he would see some of them again shot to pieces as he and his ship turned into a temporary hospital ship after the landings. He attended to the wounded soldiers when they were brought back blinded, missing arms,legs,hands, or most of their face. So, yes, these films were very important. My father had horrible PTSD and surviors guilt.His brother died in Korea.
He died when an improperly stored rifle fell over and went off, hitting him in the head and killing him instantly.
I think the fighting scenes rival the best Hollywood put out. (I bet Hollywood had a lot to do with the making of this film).
With all the training and "How to"films...this film most of all was probably quite helpful to get over those first day jitters that must have been overwhelming.Thank god for those brave men of"The Greatest Generation"I salute you...and will never forget.And thank you Persicope...the greatest channel on YT.
Bill survived the war and used the GI Bill to go to Star Fleet Academy Law School. He successfully defended Captain Kirk in his court marshal for the death of Lt. Commander Finney.
I knew I'd seen him before.
Ice Pick in Magnum P.I. and Wilmer in The Maltese Falcon....
Finney didn't die. It was a sham trial.
@@simonhandy962 Well spotted. The Army used a number of actors for training and recruiting films, including Captain Ronald Reagan and Captain Burgess "The Penguin" Meredith.
Elisha Cook Jr. He was great in 1959s House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price.
Pretty gritty and uncensored for the time. Tougher than many of the Hollywood films of the same era.
This was for MEN. Not Women and children…
@@samiam619Ah yes, the entire male population of America went to war
Good old Elisha Cook Jr
The entire point of training is to present a realistic perspective of the reality of what is going to happen. Desensitizing yourself to what happens by seeing reality.
Apparently Jim transferred from the Navy, he’s got the full Swabbie vocabulary, lol. “No mom and dad, you can’t go to the damn train station with me.” “Betty, why the hell are you crying?” Lolz
That is tame language.
This was 1942-1943, and depicted what ground combat ops in the ETO would look like - but the equipment is still 1930;s era and the US war machine had not kicked in yet!
In the beginning months...a lot of leftover old equipment was in use before new weapons came along..
@@djsi38t what do you mean, they had M-1 rifles and M-1 Carbines in the film
@@ypaulbrownHe's talking about the M 28 web gear. Which was used all the way through the war. One big blooper is the Officer using it. Officers were issued musette bags that were mounted to the gear. Skippy missed the Sherman's too...
@@nomadmarauder-dw9reAnd the Sherman caught fire and burned the whole crew alive, so it's a real Sherman.
Dayummmm! Excellent!
I'm not sure if that film was supposed to be a morale-boosting propaganda or just showing the horrors of war. I've watched so many films from around that era, but this one is just too brutal and realistic.
War is no picnic, it seems they did their best to prepare the conscripts for what they would be facing.
This film doesn't even begin to scrap the surface of war brutality! You have no idea . Watching half your best friends body vaporized because he was trying to feed the enemies children will change you ! This was about as helpful as they could have at the time and I appreciate when Hollyweird does something patriotic , it's rare these days .
The big guy of the trio was Peter Whitney, who gained a lot of weight in the 1950s. The first time I remember seeing him was in a western series on TV called The Rough Riders.
I think it was Albert Salmi.....not Peter Whitney, but I may be wrong..en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Salmi...nope, you were right, Peter Whitney.....en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Whitney
Those of us who rely on the closed captioning are pleased that these guys were accompanied by the Special Bears.
if ya like this I recommend Battle Ground . It’s a gritty classic. My Pop that served with the 30th liked it.
I wonder how many men rememberd this film when they got to the front?
Before the war, Bill was a young gunman working for Kasper Gutman.
The Fat Man was dropped later over Hiroshima.....
Elisha Cook Jr. Credited with 220 roles in movies and TV.
They dropped the whistle. The Krouts can hear it five miles away.
I was wondering why I never saw that in any post-war movie.
A lot of veterans don’t talk at all about the wars, I understand why.
Leaves out that they'd notify their chain of command of that flight of enemy planes....
That's a whole lot of inner dialog while people are trying to kill you....
And after the war he never had nightmares or beat his wife and kids. War is good for you!
He'll be alright....But he'll always get a crazy look on his face at weenie roasts and always call them "speared frankfurters"
this was to give them a vague idea what to expect so they could live to go back to the wife and kids. Stop judging by your standards and try to understand the period this comes from. And yes they should have had some help when they came back but that has only been a thing in the last couple of wars.
Bill went on to be a mafioso in Hawaii. Known as Icepick...
Before the war he was a gunsel named Wilmer. They must have let him out of prison to join the army.
Hell of a guy that ice-pick...taking care of Rick like he did...or ah...Orville...lol..
Better run than sorry
Germany was in the same situation while the government are hiding away
jeez loeez twilight zone.
Is 2:23 the progenitor of the modern game roger?
Instead of risking 10 GIs getting crushed by pushing a stuck ambulance uphill thru mud, put some grit of planks of wood under the wheel to get traction.....
And the planks of wood came from where?? You use what you've got, not what you wish you had.
@@hankbob2000 Planks of wood that all these vehicles were required to carry for exactly this situation. Roads are very crappy in a war zone.
Is that Elisha Cook? LOL, you just know what's coming.n
Rule #1
Never use the chin strap!
Haha propaganda 🤣
No, propaganda is the crap you watch on msnbc.
Good to see that they kept their gas masks - never know when you won't need them.